9 online games kids and grandparents can play when they’re not together

You probably grew up playing Uno with your parents, and now your parents can play it with your kids from anywhere. Both of you will need to download the game to your phone or tablet and connect with each other to start playing.

Security note: Uno will ask for permission to access your GPS to connect with nearby people to play, whether they are friends or not, so you can opt out.

Pokemon Go is an application that allows users to “hunt” Pokemon characters in real locations. Even though grandparents and grandkids are in different places, they can still hunt together and compare their catches to see who wins. This is a great opportunity for kids to get out and walk around their neighborhood to see if they “spot” any characters.

Safety Note: Today’s Parent advises setting up hunting settings for children (or going hunting with them), using family email for registration, and turning off GPS when not playing. not used.

Grandparents can create an account with Readeo, a secure online platform that allows them to read a story to their grandchild via video chat. Children can actually see the pages of the book and even turn them for their grandparents. To use it, a person must have a paid subscription (you can get a 14-day free trial), and then they can connect with a guest for free.

Kahoot is a platform used in many schools, but can be used at home as a way to connect with other people (and maybe even sneak study). Kids and grandparents can “create their own Kahoot”, like a trivia game, and have a friendly competition, or you can use some of the Kahoot games already created and play them virtually. You can access the site for free or pay for different upgrade options, and it’s best for grandparents and more tech-savvy kids.

Security Note: Since the entire platform is designed for children and education, there are many security features built in. You can view them here.

Grandparents and grandkids can connect through Roblox. It’s similar to Minecraft, in that the “world” you play in is created by users. You don’t need a game console to play it (you can download an app or play it on XBOX). Grandchildren can create a world/game for their grandparents or they can create one together and then play it. It’s a fun game that requires intermediate technological skills to play.

Security Note: Roblox is a free community game, so there are a lot of players all over the world. You’ll want to use parental tools to make sure your child doesn’t connect or chat with strangers. You can learn more here.

If you know how to add Chrome extensions, you’ll definitely want to use Netflix Party to connect your kids and grandparents. It allows up to four people to sync their Netflix stream so they can watch content together in real time. It also has a chat feature so viewers can talk about what they are watching together via chat. If your child can’t read or spell yet, you can always let them talk to Grandma and Grandpa on the phone while they watch.

Security note: This is a newer extension, so be careful of any unintended issues. If it works as promised, the “party” is only accessible to the party host and three guests who need a link to enter.

Mario Kart Tour is the classic game you love via app on Apple or Android phones. There are multiple tracks and users can play with up to seven friends at once (so everyone can play!). You’ll both need a Nintendo Account to play, and there’s a monthly subscription fee.

Security note: you will want to set up your children with a child account so that you can manage everything on your end. This is a global platform for kids to play against anyone in the world, so be sure to monitor the game and use parental controls.

Draw Something is the app-based version of Pictionary. You can both download the app on a phone or tablet and connect with each other for 1:1 games. This is a game best suited to children who can read simple words, or if a parent is nearby to help a smaller child.

Safety note: you will want to download this app on your device, not your child’s, as strangers may ask to connect with you for a game.

Grandparents or kids can start a game of checkers and send the other party a link to join. There is no chat feature at the moment, so they can just play or set up a chat on another platform to talk while they play.

There’s a fun interactive game for every age and skill level that will have grandparents and their grandkids connecting. Many of these games even allow for more than two players, so cousins ​​can join in the fun to make it a family event. Sure, online games aren’t the same as game night in real life, but they’re still a nice consolation prize.